


Grab your hat and fetch your camera

by serenityandtea



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: A little bit of side Perrie/Jade, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Photographer Harry, Polyamory, Thunderstorms, side Louis/Eleanor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 18:00:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8170750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenityandtea/pseuds/serenityandtea
Summary: University AU in which Harry needs a couple for his final photography project, Louis is a shit best friend, and thunderstorms help everything along a little bit.   You guys would be perfect for it. With like, your bodies and his face and like, your obvious chemistry...”  “Wait, are you truly asking us to pose nude?” Face interrupts, eyebrows raised. “Because that’s inappropriate and strangely flattering at the same time.”  “I know,” Harry groans, running his hand through his hair. “It’s so inappropriate that even my best mate and his girlfriend don’t want to do it.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> So. I've realised that I'm a sucker for poly fic and I can't write smut to save my life so here is some teeth-rotting fluff! 
> 
> This has been in the makings for about two years now (time goes fast, people) so I wrote most of it before 2015 happened and everything changed... I hope you guys will still enjoy it though! I blame Zee for the Oreo line because they told me to leave it in. Sorry.
> 
> Title is by the lovely Panic! at the Disco. I don't own or known any of the people mentioned in this fic, unfortunately, and please don't read this if it's written about you. It's for your own good, I promise.
> 
> Thank you Zee for being my beta and putting up with me and holding my hand and for being awesome in general. You're the best!

“No way.”

“But Loooooou.”

“Not happening.”

“But you said you’d help!”

“I know perfectly well what I said! Didn’t think it meant that me and my girlfriend had to get naked when you asked me!”

Harry sighs. The deadline of his project is still months away but currently he’s only one-fifth along. He _needs_ Louis.

“What did you expect? I explained the whole concept and you said ‘well, if you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to ask’. This is me asking! I need you and El for the last part, you know that, Lou. You’ve got the intimacy thing, you’re comfortable around me... I don’t get why you don’t wanna do it.”

Louis sighs and the flops down next to Harry on the sofa, propping his feet on their coffee table.

“Look. If it had been anything else, I’d have done it, you know that. I just don’t feel comfortable with a potential hundred people seeing me and my girlfriend starkers. Not ‘cause I don’t think your project is worth it, it _is_ , but can you imagine what my sisters would think at the exhibition? Because we both know you’re gonna invite every bloody person you know and it’s gonna be my junk hanging there on the wall.”

“It would be tasteful nude though, I promise,” Harry tries. “It’s not like I’d just photograph you with everything just dangling down there...”

“Tasteful or not, it’s still nude and we’re not doing it. ‘M sorry, Haz.”

“Yeah, no, it’s fine. I understand,” Harry sighs and he gives Louis a small smile. “I just hoped you’d do it, you know? ‘Cause I have no idea who else to ask...”

“You’ll find someone, I’m sure.”

Harry’s not too sure about that, but with Louis leaning against him and Bake Off on the telly, he can probably worry more about it later.

*

Four months ago, at the beginning of their first term of his last year, his professor had announced their final project with an excited look on his face, one that Harry could not match. It had taken him days to come up with something, something that’d fit with the theme ‘fabric’ that wasn’t just a series of photos taken at a fashion show.

The idea came to him while nursing a cup of coffee in their kitchen, watching Louis shrug Eleanor in her jacket, his head pounding as a reminder of the night before. _Clothing._ He’d immediately abandoned his mug and locked himself in his bedroom until the whole idea was written down on paper: capture people’s relationships by means of clothing.

To this day he’s still convinced it’s the best concept he’s ever come up with.

He has divided his project in five parts, representing five stages of friendship and love. There are the strangers, who’re all bundled up in thick layers of whites, keeping their distance from each other. It only took him one trip to the university campus to find two students in white. One awkward and stiff photo shoot later, the first part of his project had been done.

The friends part -long-sleeves in pale colours and jeans- he had stumbled upon on accident. He’d headed over to his neighbour Liam to ask for his economics book back and was met with a bunch of people sitting on a sofa, playing on an Xbox. After a quick explanation and an exchange of shirts between Harry and one of the guys, he had various shots of a bunch of guys in jeans and long-sleeves, knees touching and yelling at the screen.

His last one, the best friend stage, had been simple. All he had done was knock on Ed’s door last week, invite him and his friend Taylor over to the park in summer clothes and at the end of the afternoon his camera had been full with snaps of shared laughter, rough touches and sparkling eyes.

(Harry had deleted the photos where they looked like they were freezing to death. He admits that doing a shoot with models dressed in summer clothes in the middle of winter wasn’t his brightest idea.)

This just leaves him with the last two: friends with benefits and lovers. He knows what he wants; knows how he wants them to be dressed (or not-dressed, really); knows which angles he prefers and how to capture the intimacy and the emotion.

All he needs is four models.

*

He sees them two weeks later when he’s at the park with Louis.

Harry doesn’t notice the guys at first when he’s kicking a ball around –and failing miserably- but when they’re finally taking a break and Louis is complaining about the cold for the millionth time, he definitely does.

They’re gorgeous.

There’s no mistaken that they’re a couple. Even from a little distance, Harry can see their hands lying intertwined in the blond’s lap, who has a look of pure adoration on his face. The other guy is sitting with is back pressed against a tree, a soft smile on his face, and when he leans over and presses his lips against the other boy’s, Harry knows he needs them. They’re obviously comfortable around each other, the black-haired boy not even blinking when he returns the kiss. Harry bets they’d look gorgeous without clothes on. From a photographers point of view, obviously.

Louis seems to sense that he’s not paying attention anymore, never mind that Harry’s heard it all before, and he snaps his fingers in front of Harry’s face.

“Earth to Harry?”

“What? Sorry. I just-“ he cuts off when he sees the guy resting his forehead against the other’s and he needs to know their names, even if it’s just so he doesn’t need to refer to them as 'the guy' and 'the other guy' in his head anymore.

“Are you checking them out? Because as a relationship expert I can tell you that they’re probably taken.”

“What are you- no!” Harry exclaims and he hits Louis in his arm. “I’m not checking them out! I need them.” When Louis raises his eyebrow, Harry quickly adds, “for my project. They’re perfect.”

“So ask them?” Louis says confused and Harry only wishes it was that simple. Sure, he likes people but he’s not sure how to go up to someone and ask if you can photograph them in the nude, with their partner, please and thank you.

“I can’t,” Harry whines and he falls flat on his back. He hears Louis sigh ‘drama queen’ before dropping down next to him, his head almost hitting Harry’s. The ground is absolutely freezing, the cold seeping through his coat, but he’s too stubborn to get up. He has a point to make.

“You asked me and El. Can’t figure how this could be any more embarrassing than that. You basically asked me to take my dick out in front of you, and nobody wants to see their best friend’s dick. At least when they’re strangers you can just pretend it didn’t happen afterwards.”

Harry has to admit Louis has a point.

“But like- do I just go up to them and go ‘sorry, but would you mind posing in the nude for me?’ That’s quite creepy, right?”

“Well,” Louis drawls and Harry can feel a hand tugging at his curls. “I would explain a bit more and definitely mention the ‘it’s a project for uni’-part, but basically- yes. That’s exactly what you should do.”

Harry can imagine it going wrong, with them running off as soon as he’s gotten the words out, but he really, really needs them. He has to suck it up and try, or he’ll be left wondering ‘what if’ for the rest of the week, maybe month.

He slowly gets back on his feet, Louis’ hand thumping on the ground where Harry’s head was and he can hear a ‘you’re seriously doing this?!’ as he makes his way to the couple. They’re not even that far away, maybe a few feet, but Harry’s feet feel heavy and those few feet suddenly feel like miles.

“Hi,” he says tentatively, when he’s standing right in front of them.

“Hi?” the one against the tree replies and now Harry can see how completely gorgeous he is; beanie-covered jet-black hair, slight stubble on his chin and the beginnings of a lovely smile. “Can we help you, mate?”

“Yes- maybe? Hi. I’m Harry and I noticed you guys kissing and being all lovey-dovey with-”

“I’m sorry if it’s bothering you,” the other guy interrupts, his cheeks turning red. “We can stop.”

“No, no- I don’t want you to stop.” That sounded slightly less creepy in his head. “I just- I was just sitting over there with my mate and I saw you two, and I really need you guys for my uni project. It’s uhm- kinda weird ‘cus it’s like a photography thing? And it’s a nude thing? But you guys would be perfect for it. With like, your bodies and his face and like, your obvious chemistry...”

Smooth, Styles. Really smooth.

He’s just being stared at now, the one with the perfect face frowning at him and Blondie hasn’t blinked in a while. He can hear Louis cackling in the distance and Harry knows he’s made a right arse of himself but at least he’s gotten the message across. He hopes.

“So...” he carefully starts.

“Wait, are you truly asking us to pose nude?” Face interrupts, eyebrows raised. “Because that’s inappropriate and strangely flattering at the same time.”

“I know,” Harry groans, running his hand through his hair. “It’s so inappropriate that even my best mate and his girlfriend don’t want to do it.”

“You don’t care that we’re blokes?” Blondie asks. It doesn’t sound like a complete rejection and maybe there’s a trace of hope left. Somewhere.

“No! No, absolutely not! I mean, that the project is just about how the photos look, you know? So if that means that two guys who are completely into each other look amazing, then why not? If it looks good, it looks good.”

He can see the gears turning in their heads, their faces asking each other wordless questions and Harry’s got his fingers crossed behind his back. They might not be Louis and Eleanor, who always look so damn perfect and in love whenever Harry sees them it’s completely unfair, but they’re a close second and he needs them. Pretty, pretty please.

“We’re in,” Face interrupts his thoughts and Harry’s jaw drops.

“You- what?”

“We’ll help you with your project. But like, we need some more info. So maybe meet us for a coffee and we can make some arrangements?”

“Yes, yes. Of course. No problem. Thank you.” He takes out his phone, shoves it Face’s hands and beams.

“If you could just give me your number and I’ll text you somewhere at the end of the week and we can meet up, yeah? If it’s convenient for you, of course. Like, I could take some of the other photos that I’ve already done with me and show them to you? Give you an idea of what I’m going for?”

“Sounds great.”

When his phone is handed back to him, there’s a brand new number and name in his phone and tingly feeling in his chest.

“Great!” Harry beams at them and he shoves the phone back in his pocket after checking the name. “I’ll text you then, Zayn!”

He starts walking back to Louis and when he’s only not even two feet away, he hears the other boy call out.

“Name’s Niall! Nice to meet yeh!”

Harry can already tell that this project is going to be ace.

*

Two weeks later, Harry’s sitting in a coffee shop on a Sunday morning, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the table top. He’s spent the past three days collecting photos and ideas that he could show the other two boys, give them an overview of what he’s trying to achieve. He thinks he’s found some great ones that don’t look overly sexual but still convey the message and he just hopes that at the end of the morning, they’re still onboard.

There’s still four months left until his exhibition, but he has no idea what he’s going to do if they blow him off today. He still hasn’t found anybody for his friends-with-benefits shoot and if he doesn’t have a couple for the last shoot either, he might as well just quit when he’s still got time.

“Harry?” Niall’s voice comes from his left, startling him.

“Hi!” Harry smiles brightly. “Please, take a seat! You want a drink?”

“Nah, Zayn will grab me something in a bit...”

Harry lets his eyes sweep over the coffee shop but isn’t able to spot Zayn anywhere.  
“He’s not here yet?”

Niall snorts. “Yeah, no. Didn’t expect him to, really. I mean, it’s Sunday and before two in the afternoon, so I’d have been surprised if he’d gotten here on time.”

“Oh. If it’s too early, we could do another time? Is no problem, really. Like, maybe tomorrow afternoon, or I don’t have class on Wednesday so-”

“Calm your tits, this is fine. He’ll be here in a bit.”

Harry knows he’s rambling; he’s been doing it to Louis for the whole week now. He likes to say that he has a proper explanation but it’s just nerves, really.

It’s only five minutes later when Zayn comes walking in, all bundled up in a black coat, black beanie, dark-blue scarf and honest-to-god mittens. Harry thinks he looks a little bit worse for wear, with his eyes not completely open yet and a day-old scruff on his jaw. He still manages to look better than Harry does most mornings which is kind of unfair.

Zayn give them a little wave in greeting before joining the queue and Harry strikes up conversation with Niall. He’s surprisingly easy to talk to, all laughter and jokes and Harry hopes that this is how it stays; that none of the awkwardness he's experienced with the models his university provided before will surface.

When Zayn is properly settled, clutching his coffee tightly in one hand and his other arm thrown over the back of Niall’s chair, Harry grabs his portfolio from his rucksack.

“Alright,” he says, voice a bit shaky. “Thanks so much for coming and for even considering this. It’s a bit of a strange request, but yeah. Maybe I could show you some of the things I’ve done so far and see if you like it and then maybe talk about the what and how if you’re still interested?”

Zayn just gives a soft hum but Niall gives him an encouraging nod so Harry gets out a few of his pictures, explaining all the different parts of his project while keeping a close eye on their reactions. Zayn has woken up a bit, his eyes firmly trained on the pictures while nodding whenever Harry finishes one of his explanations and he doesn’t feel nearly as stressed as when he walked into the coffee shop.

He then pulls out a different set of photos once he’s finished with his own, sliding them over to the couple. He’d spent all night looking through other people’s portfolios, searching for photos that’d represent his vision, until Louis had forcefully closed his laptop and sent him to bed.

Niall is hunched over one of the photos with a frown on his face and a finger tracing the edges.

“So, this is kind of what I’m going for,” Harry speaks up. “Not too showy, lots of intimacy, like you can really see the connection in every single one of those. They’re obviously not photos you’d send to your mum but yeah. What do you guys think?”

“It’s sick, mate,” Zayn replies and Harry lets out a breath of relief. One down, one to go. He looks wide-eyed at Niall, who’s just staring at the pictures with his lower lip caught between his teeth. It’s Zayn who snaps him out of it.

“Babe? Whatcha think?” Zayn’s hand is rubbing between Niall’s shoulder blades, the other boy still looking between the photos.

“You don’t have to,” Harry says softly, Niall’s eyes snapping up to meet his. “If you don’t like it, don’t do it. I want you to be comfortable during the shoot, not stressed out because you’re having regrets. I understand that it’s quite a lot what I’m asking you...”

He’d rather not try and find somebody else, really, but he does understand what he’s asking: an awful lot. Harry’s planning on putting up these pictures at the final exhibition, for everyone and their mum to see. It would be kind of easy to make out who's in them - if the finished photos end up looking how he wants to- and he gets that that’s not for everyone. 

“No, we’ll do it.” There’s a note of finality to Niall’s voice and when Zayn beams at him, Harry grins as well.

“Thank you so much,” he gushes, quickly gathering all the pictures back into his binder. “You’d be really helping me out.”

Zayn’s looking at him with a soft look in his eyes, albeit a bit tired. “It’s no problem, really.”

“Do you by any chance have any time next week?” Harry asks, mentally running through his calendar. “I’d like to get started as soon as possible, if it’s the same to you? Like, if I end up needing more or something different, we still got a bit of time right before the exhibition...”

“We could do Friday evening?” Niall says and Zayn nods in confirmation.

Harry’s pretty sure he doesn’t have any classes then, maybe he’s got some dinner thing planned with Louis, but nothing he can’t cancel. He tells them so.

“Where would you guys be the most comfortable?” Harry asks and Niall looks up from where he’s sipping his (probably cold) coffee.

“In a bed?”

Zayn snorts. “I think he meant our flat or his flat.”

“Oh.” Niall blushes and Harry notices it makes him look five years younger. Not a bad look. “Ours?”

“Perfect!” Harry smiles. “I’ll come over around sevenish then?”

“Yeah, sounds good mate,” Zayn says.

Harry starts stuffing all his stuff back into his rucksack, taking care to not fold any of the photos, and then he gets up from his seat. He’s got about twenty other things to take care of –he needs to figure out which lights to bring, which lenses he might need- and he’d rather get started with that as soon as possible.

“Text me if you have any questions, alright?” he says to them and both Zayn and Niall nod in response. “I’m serious, any questions are fine. I’ll be by next Friday then! Oh- I could take some tea with me? Relax a bit before doing the serious stuff?”

Niall agrees and then Harry is out the door, ideas running through his mind and the cold wind cutting at his face.

*

“They’re perfect,” Harry declares that evening when he plops down on the sofa between Eleanor and Louis. They’re probably having some romantic get-together judging by the crying that's going on in the movie they’re watching, but they should be used to it by now.

“Who are, love?” Eleanor starts petting his hair and Harry then decides that he needs more friends like her.

“Zayn and Niall,” Harry sighs and Louis snorts next to him.

“Do I know-” Eleanor starts but Louis interrupts her.

“They’re the couple he’s gonna be shooting for his naked-and-making-out project. Saw them in the park the other day and ever since he can’t stop bloody talking about them.”

Alright, so he might have told Louis a few things about them, but he has been talking about other stuff as well. He’s ninety per cent sure.

“They’re really nice,” Harry mumbles defensively and Eleanor pats his back reassuringly.

“Of course they are. They must be if they want to do this for you.”

“Harry forgot to mention that he also wants to get in their pants,” Louis adds cheekily and if Harry had any energy left he would have hit him. Probably. Maybe a little tap.

“Lou!”

“What? I’m only telling the truth!”

Harry keeps quiet, snuggling up to Eleanor who just keeps her fingers tangled in his hair and maybe he should kick Louis out and ask her to be his roommate. She’s proving to be much more useful than his best friend at the moment.

Right before he’s about to fall asleep snuggled in between them, his sleepy brain betrays him.

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing.”

The last thing he hears is Louis cackling next to him and Eleanor shushing him on the other side before he nods off on one of their shoulders.

*

 

_do u want us 2 shave???_

Niall’s texting started on Monday and had been going on for the better part of the past few days. Harry would have been exasperated if it didn’t secretly enjoy it so much; Niall asking if they needed to buy any special or new fancy sheets had Harry cracking up in the middle of the cereal aisle yesterday.

_You mean like not-your-face shaving?_

He liked Zayn with that bit of stubble going on.

_yeah_

_Whatever works for you. I’d prefer to keep it as natural as possible, but if you normally do that, then go for it, I guess?_

_yeah, no. not really._

*

Harry’s sitting in his Body, Space and Image lecture on Thursday when his phone buzzes.

_could you please tell niall it won’t help a bit if he stops eating pizza a week before? food’s getting cold!_

Harry’s quick to type out a message. _On it._

He checks to make sure the professor is still explaining one thing or another –he’s never really cared for lectures anyway- before sending off a text to Niall.

_Go eat and cuddle with your bf! I need you all loved-up friday, not starving!!_

He doesn’t get a reply for the rest of the lecture, leaving him to actually having to pay attention since Louis isn’t returning any of his text either, but when he gets home that afternoon and has turned the kettle on, his phone buzzes on the counter. It’s just a simple ‘thank you x´ from Zayn but the x has Harry smiling the rest of the afternoon and evening, and even Louis almost breaking his favourite mug isn’t going to change that.

*

_derby or man u?_

The text comes when Harry’s doing the dishes while Louis is setting up a movie on Netflix.

_uhm- I don’t know? I just like football?_

Niall’s quick to reply though, and Zayn is apparently in the know as well because Harry somehow gets a text from him at the same time as Niall’s.

 _if u had to pick!_ and _Don’t say Man U, he’ll be mopey for days._

Harry frowns but texts back if I had to choose I’d go with Derby to Niall and a did what you told me to Zayn. It’s weird, texting with people he's only met twice, but it feels nice and familiar, the two of them constantly asking him things.

_Thank you x_

_ha! i told zayn you’d say derby but he wouldn’t listen_

Harry snorts and puts away his last mug before he joins Louis on the sofa and snuggles up next to him. There’s not another message for the rest of the evening, but that’s fine, Harry thinks. He’ll see them tomorrow.

*

Friday evening comes quicker than Harry had anticipated. He’d spent the whole morning running around the flat, Louis snapping at him to _fucking sit still or I’ll tie you to this chair_ and Harry just needs this whole thing to go smoothly or he’ll die of a heart attack at the age of twenty one.

He’s standing in front of Zayn and Niall’s building, clutching a dish tightly to his chest and his camera bag hanging off his shoulder. Right after he's knocked, he wonders if he should have texted them to ask if they even like spag bol. What if Niall is vegetarian or only eats Irish meat or what if Zayn is allergic to tomatoes and he ruins their whole evening by having to take him to the hospital?

As it turns out, Niall is neither a vegetarian nor does he only eat Irish meat and Zayn is allergic to strawberries, not tomatoes. They have a quiet but nice dinner after Niall has shown him in and given him a tour of their flat: very homely. Instead of the tension Harry had anticipated it’s just nice. They talk a bit about everything: university, photography, football, art, and their families. Before Harry has even realised it, they’ve finished their dinner.

Even when it gets down to the stripping naked part half an hour later, it doesn’t get awkward or tense. Harry's sort of proud of all three of them. He simply turns around when Zayn and Niall get undressed and under the covers, and once Niall deems them covered, Harry turns back around with his camera.

The room is actually quite nice and clean, just like their living room and kitchen except it has less family-and-friends pictures. Their bedroom is simple with just a bed, two nightstands and a dresser. There isn’t really a colour scheme to Harry’s dismay, but the almost-black sheets are in stark contrast with the white paint on the wall and he’s pretty sure that no matter what, the pictures will turn out nice.

Because apparently, Zayn’s been keeping something from him.

“You’ve got even more tattoos?” There’s something like awe in his voice and he’s not even sure why because he saw the ones on Zayn’s hand but somehow he hadn’t anticipated more.

Zayn’s arms are resting on top of the covers, one arm almost a full sleeve, the other probably getting there. There are more scattered on his chest and Harry can’t see more than that but he’s pretty sure it doesn’t stop there. Niall’s skin looks untouched but with Zayn’s head popped on his chest and his hair a bit tousled, they look like a right picture. Exactly how Harry wants them.

“Oh. Yeah,” Zayn says matter-of-factly. “Is that gonna be a problem? ‘Cus I thought that you could probably edit them out? Or I’ve got some make-up left from my sister and I could try to cover some of them up?”

“No! No, thanks. I like them.”

There might be something resembling a blush on his face, but Harry decides to ignore it. It’s not his fault that he’s got this thing for tattoos –always has, really- and maybe that’s why he’s got so many himself but they always look _so good_ on other people. Like Zayn.

“You guys ready to get started?” He says when Zayn just smiles fondly at him with Niall’s hand in his hair and they both nod. Harry tries his best to tear his eyes away from their contrasting skin tones.

The first five minutes are spent with Harry just taking pictures of the two of them lying there, opening and closing the curtains to get the right amount of light and when he’s finally got everything he needs, he clears his throat.

“If you could just- push down the covers a bit?”

Zayn doesn’t even hesitate, pushing them down with one arm and when he can’t get it any further, his leg does the work for him. For a beat, Harry’s just staring but then he snaps himself together and lifts his camera.

“I’ve never really done this before so I have no idea how this is actually supposed to work, but Zayn, if you could just straddle him a bit and I don’t know- look in to his eyes, that would be great. I promise I’ll try to not make it look like porn.”

It’s easy like that, Zayn following his directions immediately while Niall is just lying on the bed, looking completely in his element. They do stare into each others’ eyes on his request and Harry can clearly see the love between them, snapping away on his camera immediately. It’s only when he zooms out a bit, that he almost has a giggle fit. Proper adult, he is.

“Uhm- Niall, could you maybe like, tuck your... self a little bit to the left? I’m getting a view here, mate.”

This time Niall does blush, but does exactly as Harry says and Zayn’s got his head tucked in Niall’s shoulder, quietly laughing. Harry quickly snaps some more pictures before the moment is over and when Zayn’s back to properly staring Niall in the eyes, Harry speaks up.

“Could you maybe switch? Or not, if you don’t want to?”

He thinks it would look good. Niall with his small frame hovering above Zayn, the contrast probably becoming more clear, but he doesn’t know if Niall is comfortable with that.

“Of course, mate,” Niall says and within a second, they’re flipped around, Niall pinning Zayn to the mattress with a grin. Harry almost forgets to take a picture, captivated by the sight but in the end he remembers the camera in his hand. Right.

The thing is, they look good. Not even good, but amazing. They fit together seamlessly, Zayn’s body starting where Niall’s is ending and their bodies really complement each other. Usually, two of the slightly same body types look just boring but it works so well with them. They’re not even doing anything, just almost lying on top each other with their kit off, but Harry likes to think that he can see the love between them, their adoration for each other and just hopes with all his heart that it will show on the photos once he's developed them.

“Zayn? Can you arch your back a bit? Like, press into Niall a bit more?”

It goes on like that for a while, Harry calling out poses and minor instructions while snapping away on his camera. The mood has changed somehow and it’s not just the adoration in their eyes anymore but lust as well. Harry isn’t complaining because it makes his pictures look awesome. It does get a bit awkward calling out every so often to ask if they could please put their erections away or their dicks will show up in the exhibition, but they just laugh it off and continue.

After an hour he asks if they need a break, and Zayn sighs his thanks, moving away from where he was stretched along Niall. In a flash he’s off the bed, trotting towards the kitchen for some water and the only thing that Harry’s mind registers is the fact that he just saw Zayn’s dick without the lens of his camera as a buffer. Alright.

Niall’s sitting cross legged on the bed, a pillow covering his bits and Harry is not sure if he’s grateful or disappointed.

“So,” Niall asks and he nods to the camera. “We looking any good?”

Harry’s almost willing to shove the camera under his face to show him just how amazing they are but holds himself back.

“Yeah. You guys really work together,” he says instead. “It’s so clear to see that you love him and that he loves you and it’s really showing on film as well, so thank you for that.”

Niall blushes and takes the water from Zayn, who has just entered the room again. Apparently he has no qualms about being nude in front of a stranger without a camera, which okay, Harry hasn’t either.

“Nothing to thank us for, really,” Niall replies. “Zayn’s all in favour of helping other artists and stuff, so whatever you need.”

Zayn just nods in agreement and they talk a bit more before Harry directs them back on the bed again. He tries several poses, even having them stand up and lean against the sole window in the bedroom, with Niall standing behind Zayn and holding him. Harry’s taken so many pictures at that point that he’s aware that there must be at least several good ones in the bunch that he can use, and he should really stop at some point.

He does, twenty minutes later, and when he leaves around eleven, there’s butterflies fluttering in his stomach and he’s never going to tell Louis, but maybe he does have a slight crush. He’s not going to act on it, because he knows happiness when he sees it, but it’s still a nice feeling. And if that means that he falls asleep with a tiny smile on his face that evening, then so be it.

*

He doesn’t leave his darkroom for two days.

Louis knocks on his door every three hours, reminding him that there’s still an outside world and that he needs to eat and see some sun, but Harry only comes out to grab himself something quick to eat and then retreats again.

The pictures are turning out to be stunning. He was right when he thought that the tattoos would be a nice little touch: they look amazing in black and white. There’s just this little bit of a difference between their skin tones and Harry’s particularly pleased with all the contrast that is going on. He’s got way too many photos, much more than he had shot at the other sessions but that just gives him a little bit more options when he has to pick four.

In the end, he picks two of them standing in front of the window and two of them on the bed. Now he just needs to show them to Niall and Zayn and hope that they like them as well.

*

A week and a half later, he still hasn’t shown them his pictures, but he does have his friends-with-benefits thing sorted. Niall had been there to save the day, claiming that Zayn had a friend who had some kind of arrangement with her best friend and, as two fellow art students, they wouldn’t mind helping Harry out. What Niall had forgotten to mention was that they were both female and Harry now has the problem of trying to work his way around two pairs of breasts.

Luckily for him, both Perrie and Jade are extremely accommodating, letting Harry snap pictures of them while they’re doing whatever they feel like. They’re both in a pair of jeans, naked from the waist up and they look good. Not stunning like Niall and Zayn had because there’s missing some fire in their eyes and their touches are just a tad too careful, but they still work together. Harry should probably bake Niall a cake in thanks.

Harry hasn’t spoken once so far, just letting the girls do what they normally do, trying to find angles that don’t make it seem too sexual but get the message across at the same time. After an hour, he thinks he’s got enough stuff for the exhibition and Perrie and Jade are looking thoroughly kissed. He gives them a million thanks as he’s walking out the front door and when he locks himself in his dark room that evening it only takes him three hours to develop the pictures.

It’s a good thing Louis is at Eleanor’s that evening.

*  
__

_Knock knock._

_No._

_whos there?_

_Thank you, Niall.  
A cow goes..._

_a cow goes who?_

_No, a cow goes moo!_

_... Goodnight Harry. x_

_good one! liked it!_

_Of course you did, babe._

*

“So, what do you think?”

Harry’s got his four photos splayed on their little table in front of them. Zayn and Niall are sitting across from him, both sipping their drinks but Harry hasn’t touched his latte yet. He needs them to like them.

Zayn’s finger is tracing the edges of the one with them standing in front of the window and Harry bites his lip nervously. Niall’s got a soft smile on his face and is staring at Harry but Zayn hasn’t spoken yet and what if he thinks they’re absolute-

“God, they’re gorgeous,” Zayn whispers and Harry exhales loudly.

“You don’t think they’re a bit.. too much?”

Niall snorts. “Mate, you can barely see anything. Besides, my bum looks good in this one.”

“Your arse always looks good, babe.”

Harry face flushes and he quickly looks down at the table top, his eyes following the movement of Zayn’s finger and thinking _yeah, it does_. It might be for the better that he won’t see them again after this, because the way he keeps thinking about Zayn lying under Niall with his eyes fluttered closed or how he can’t seem to stop laughing at Niall’s jokes is just not good.

“Hey,” Zayn’s hand touches his. “They’re really good. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Harry mumbles, aware of how sweaty his hand is. “Really, I should thank you guys. Without you, this whole project would have been shit.”

“Nah, no problem,” Niall shrugs. “We like being naked, so really. No problem at all.”

Harry tries not to groan at the image his imagination provides. Great, just great.

*

If he thought that was it, he was sorely mistaken.

*

Harry’s staring holes in his phone, his heels tapping out a slow rhythm against the wall he’s sitting on. Louis was supposed to meet him here about nine minutes ago but of course he’s bloody late. As usual.

Laces are tapping against his right ankle now and when Harry brings up his right foot to tie them up again, his foot collides with someone’s knee.

_Fuck._

“I’m so sorry,” Harry rushes to say and when he looks up, he stares into familiar brown eyes and immediately blushes. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Zayn grins back at him.

“What- what are you doing here?”

Zayn sits down next to him, his legs slightly longer than Harry’s and his toes almost touching the ground. His shoulder bumps into Harry when he wiggles around a bit to find his balance and Harry ignores the rush that it sends through his body.

“Saw you sitting here and I thought I’d come and say hi. See what you’ve been up to, haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Not much really,” Harry shrugs. “Waiting for Louis to finish his Lit class so we can get some shopping done.”

They’re both quiet for a while, students rushing past them to get to the nearest warm place with their scarves wrapped tight around their necks and hands tucked away in their sleeves. Harry knows he should have brought his own scarf, should have known that Louis would take ages to get out of class while he was freezing his arse off on a brick wall. It’s ridiculously cold for the end of February.

“So, is Louis your roommate? Boyfriend?”

Harry tips almost forward off the wall but he manages to find his balance right on time. There’s a slight flush on Zayn’s cheeks when Harry looks at him and he just wants to wrap him up in blankets and feed him hot apple pie. The boy looks cold without a proper jacket.

“What?” Harry asks once he’s realised he’s been staring at Zayn for way too long now.

“Louis? Is he your roommate? Boyfriend? Brother?”

Harry snorts. “Roommate. The one time I tried to hit on him he introduced his girlfriend five seconds after that so I got the message.”

“That’s rough,” Zayn winces but there’s a certain glimmer to his eyes that Harry can’t figure out.

“Nah. I’m good like this.”

“No one you’ve got your eye on then?”

 _You and your boyfriend_ , Harry thinks but instead he just shakes his head. “Nah.”

Zayn just hums in reply and before Harry can asks him if he’s up to anything later, if he maybe wants to come around for dinner, please bring Niall as well, Louis is standing in front of him, his mouth stretched in a grin.

“Hi, you must be Zayn.”

Harry is ready for the ground to swallow him up whole because he knows where this is going, knows Louis is one tiny curious person. Before he can chase him away though -or kick him in the shins-, Zayn’s confused look is replaced by a smile.

“Hi, heard lots about you, mate.”

That’s a lie for sure, because Harry is positive he’s only talked about Louis in passing but Louis eyes lit up and he wiggles his eyebrows.

“Same can be said about you. Hazza here doesn’t shut up about-”

“Alright, that’s quite enough,” Harry rushes to say as he jumps of the wall, his palm covering Louis’ mouth. Of course, like the bloody child he is, Louis starts licking him but Harry refuses to remove his hand. “We should be going. Lots of vegetables waiting for us to buy. See you later, Zayn!”

Louis mumbles something from behind Harry’s hand but Harry shuts him up with a stern look and gives Zayn a quick wave over his shoulder as he pushes Louis away from him. It’s not until they’re a few good feet away that Harry removes his hand from Louis’ mouth, rubbing it dry on his jeans immediately after. He can see Louis opening his mouth, probably ready with a clever comeback or some crude joke but Harry just throws him a glare that shuts him up.

Not for long though.

“He’s cute. Very handsome,” Louis says as they’re sorting through tomatoes to pick the ripest ones for their pasta. “Bit of a bad-boy vibe going on but that’s exactly your type, innit? Did you see his fingers? Of course you did, why am I even asking. Must feel pretty great up your b-”

“-shut it,” Harry whispers, eyeing the old lady next to him.

Louis does shut up, but for the rest of the day there’s this gleam in his eyes and Harry knows he’s never going to live this down.

*

He’s trying to decide whether he should get their normal cheese or the brand that’s on sale this week when his phone buzzes in his pocket. He is already mentally composing his text back to Louis _-no, I’m not forgetting your shampoo, yes, I got you popcorn-_ but he’s surprised to see it’s not from Louis but Niall.

_You up for a film night?_

Harry hadn’t expected them to really stay in touch, but after seeing Zayn three weeks ago, the text messages had started coming in again. Mostly it was just a bunch of jokes from Niall and inquires about his day by Zayn but it was nice. More than nice, really.

_Yeah, sure. When?_

_tonight. 9ish?_

He looks around the store, his eyes landing on the snack aisle.

_You need me to bring anything?_

_Just your cute self. And a bag of crisps, while you’re at it._

Harry grins. He knew it.

*

The three of them end up sprawled on the sofa by the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past (Zayn’s choice), Harry’s head resting on the side of the sofa, his legs stretched out over both Niall and Zayn’s legs. He is comfy, slightly buzzed because he should have learned by now to never mix beer and wine, and he’s not moving any time soon if it’s up to him.

“Time s’it?” Zayn mumbles from the other side of the sofa, his head comfortably resting on Niall’s shoulder and his eyes closed.

Harry blinks at his watch. “One thirty.”

“Fuck. Gotta be at work in six hours.”

Niall softly pets him on his head with a whispered, “Let’s go to bed then, love.”

It takes a bit of shuffling but then both Niall and Zayn are standing in front of Harry with soft smiles.

“Stay, yeah?” Zayn asks in a whisper and Harry nods. Moving sounds like an awful lot of work right now.

“Do you have a blanket?” He tries to whisper but his voice just comes out rough. He can see Zayn opening his mouth and Niall elbowing him.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll get you one in a moment. You alright on the sofa?”

“Yep,” Harry replies, popping the last consonant. The sofa sounds great right now.

“Sleep well then,” Zayn whispers and Harry hums in reply, already asleep by the time Niall returns with his blanket and tucks him in with a soft kiss on his forehead.

*

Feelings are confusing.

That’s one thing Harry’s figured out in these past three months. He’s always been one to fall fast and hard but never with two people at the same time and certainly never this fast. Louis tells him it’s because he's got such a bloody big heart and how could they ever not like him when he’s so Harry, but Harry isn’t so sure.

The texts keep coming in though. Little snippets about their day and requests to meet up at a coffee shop slash pub slash their place to do whatever and Harry’s been enjoying himself. There’s still the fact that he always ends up going back to home by himself while Zayn and Niall always leave together but he can get used to that. Eventually, maybe.

Sometimes he’s convinced that his feelings are reciprocated: when Zayn’s touches linger just a tad bit too long or when Niall makes sure there’s always a bottle of that non-alcoholic beer that Harry likes in their fridge; when Zayn calls him ‘love’ even though Harry knows he does that with basically anyone he’s met, or when Niall is sure to get him a soy latte when they go to that one coffee shop because Harry hates the regular milk over there. But then he reminds himself that they might do that for anyone because they’re just that nice and he ends up on the sofa again with a big box of chocolates and Notting Hill playing in the background.

*

His graduation exhibition is coming closer and he doesn’t want to say that he’s freaking out, but he’s freaking out. He has all his different parts, all his different photos and styles, but now it’s a case of trying different prints and sizes; seeing what works best with what. It’s time consuming, that’s what it is.

Apparently too time-consuming for Louis, because on Wednesday there’s a knock on his bedroom door and before Harry has time to reply, his best friend is already standing in his room.

“You’re going out,” Louis states and he starts picking clothes out of Harry’s closet, throwing them carelessly on the unmade bed.

“I can’t-”

“You can. Whatever you’re doing can wait until tomorrow, I’m sure. Zayn and Niall have been blowing up your phone, so I took the liberty of answering and you’re going over there.”

“Louis,” Harry starts warningly but Louis cuts him off.

“I didn’t do anything. Told them your exhibition is in six weeks and that you were really busy but that you could use a break and they invited you over. That’s it. I didn’t say a thing, I swear.”

By now, Harry should know better than to trust everything that Louis says, but he looks genuine enough and he really could use a break. Do something else for a bit, get his mind off things before diving into it again.

“Alright,” Harry says simply and he switches his shirt for the one Louis had thrown on the bed.

Louis raises his eyebrow. “Really, it’s that simple? Jesus, they’ve got your wrapped around their fingers, haven’t they?”

Harry can feel his face heating up but he just tugs on his trainers before shutting his laptop down.

“They do not,” is what he says before the leaving the flat and Louis just stares at him, Eleanor laughing from the sofa.

“Of course not, babe. Now, go have fun. I don’t expect you to be back before morning.”

*

There’s a flash, followed by a bang and Harry cowers a bit.

A movie is playing on the telly while he’s curled up on the sofa, Zayn and Niall on either side and he knows he’s safe but he can’t help the tremor shivering through his body.

“Harry?”

Harry hums, keeping his eyes on the screen. Another rumble and he barely manages not to flinch.

“Harry, are you alright?”

“Never been better,” he mumbles and he slides just a little bit closer to Zayn, pressing into his side.

“Are you-“ Niall gets cut off by another flash and rumble. “Are you afraid of thunder?”

“What?” Harry huffs. “Don’t be so ridiculous.”

Zayn sneaks him a smile from next to him, his arm curling up around him.

“It’s okay, you know?”

“No, it’s not.”

“It really is,” Niall says and he’s suddenly a lot closer. Harry is properly squeezed between them, their hands tangled behind his head and their thumbs stroking the soft curls at the base of his neck.

“It’s ridiculous, that’s what it is.”

Zayn tugs him a bit closer, Harry now leaning with his head on his shoulder and the movie still playing in the background. “I don’t know about thunder, but I know about people who’re still afraid of heights when they’re twenty one.”

Niall squeaks, slapping Zayn’s arm. “You’re not supposed to tell him that!”

There’s a big flash and suddenly the room is pitch black: no telly, no light from the kitchen, nothing.

Harry’s eyes widen in horror, his hand grasping onto Zayn’s thigh. No, no, no. This is not happening.

“I’ll go look for some candles,” he hears Niall murmur next to him and Harry tries to move even closer into Zayn’s side. What if lightning strikes somewhere close to them? What if it strikes _right here_ and Niall’s in the kitchen and something explodes and oh God, what if-

Suddenly Zayn is gripping his chin to face him. “Breathe, Hazza. C’mon, you’ve got to breath.”

Harry nods and he really tries, he really does, but all he can think of is how dark it is and what if the power doesn’t come on? What if it never comes on again or what if-

“Breathe. Breathe with me babe, okay?” He can feel his hand being pressed against a chest and a steady heartbeat pounding underneath it. A weight shifts behind him and two arms wrap around his chest, Niall breathing quietly in his ear.

He focuses on the way Zayn’s chest keeps pushing out and drawing in and he tries to match his breathing to the other boy’s. Four minutes later, he’s finally calmed down a bit but there’s still that daunting feeling inside of him, of the darkness taking over and never letting them go.

“You back?” Niall whispers in his ear and Harry nods back, slightly cowering when there’s another rumble. “Don’t you spend most of your time in a darkroom, though?”

Harry laughs at that and his hand picks up the rumble in Zayn’s chest at the boy’s laughter. “I do,” he confesses. “But that’s different? You can leave any time, you know? This is just... We’re stuck here.”

The arms around his chest tighten a bit and Niall mumbles “that makes sense, yeah,” in his ear.

“Do you maybe want to stay here?” Zayn’s voice is soft, and Harry nods before he even realises that he does so.

“Yeah. That’d be- thanks.”

He can feel Niall letting go of him, and sees him slipping his hand in Zayn’s and pulling him off the sofa as well. It’s then that he notices the candles Niall has lined up on the coffee table, giving the flat a sort of eerie glow. It’s nice, even if the reason isn’t that great. He needs to remember that Niall’s got these stashed away somewhere because the cinnamon smell is heavenly.

“Do you wanna sleep now? There’s not much else we can do, I guess,” Niall mumbles and Harry nods, stretching out his leg a bit.

“Yeah, alright. Do you have a blanket?”

“Yeah, that’s not happening this time,” Niall states and he tugs Harry off the sofa as well. Harry looks confused at Zayn, his feet stumbling a bit in the dark but otherwise following Niall’s footsteps. Zayn just gives him a soft smile in return.

“You’re not sleeping on the sofa.”

Harry blinks at him, before- oh. That- that’s okay too, he guesses.

He blindly keeps following the other two, trailing behind them and never letting go of Niall’s hand. He really doesn’t want to trip right now. A few steps later, Niall opens a door and a familiar bedroom comes in view.

“You’re sleeping with me and Zayn, in case that wasn’t clear yet,” Niall states and he closes the door behind Harry before leading him towards the bed. Harry thinks it was pretty clear. He can vaguely see Niall pulling his shirt over his head and when he hears a soft chuckle coming from the bed, he squints his eyes at Zayn who’s already under the covers. Talk about quick.

“Come cuddle up, I’m cold.”

“Are you- are you sure?” he asks. He needs to be sure, because he’s afraid that if he takes this step, there won’t be any going back.

“Yes,” Niall sighs exasperated –Harry can hear the smile behind it though- and there’s the unmistakable sound of a belt hitting the floor. “Now, do what Zayn says before he gets all grumpy because his toes are freezing.”

He can hear Niall struggling with the covers before sliding in and turning the nightlight off. Harry hesitates before slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He has been day dreaming about them a lot, so maybe he should grab his chance before it’s too late.

It only takes him a couple more seconds to slide his shirt and jeans off and then he’s carefully shuffling over to the bed, only stubbing his toe on the bedpost once.

“Zayn?” Harry whispers, patting down the bed a bit to find the other boy. Something grabs his hand and Harry almost squeaks but manages to hold it in on time. That would have been embarrassing.

“C’mon,” Zayn mumbles, his voice already laced with sleep.

Harry moves the covers a bit, wanting to slide in next to the other boy, but a hand on his hip stops him. “Want you in the middle.”

He carefully manoeuvres himself over the other boy and lowers himself on the bed. Immediately, Zayn rolls on his side, facing Harry and a hand grasps his hip again, squeezing softly. It’s only a beat later that he feels another arm encircling his waist –Niall- and a body pressing up against his back.

All the tension drains out of his frame, his forehead resting against Zayn’s and Niall’s heartbeat resounding in his body. There’s a calmness surrounding them and it just feels right.

“You okay now?” Niall whispers in the dark and Harry nods in reply, one of his hands coming to rest on Zayn’s hip, his other hand grasping Niall’s where it’s pressed against his own chest.

He falls asleep like that, the three of them intertwined in all the best ways and complete darkness surrounding them.

*

Harry sort of thought the morning would be awkward with tangled limbs, fake smiles and eyes filled with regret. It's everything but.

“Harry?” Zayn's voice is quiet in his ear, his hand tugging on some curls. “Could you maybe let go of me? I need to go to class...”

Harry groans but still removes his arm from where it had wrapped around Zayn's torso during the night. There's still a warmth pressed against his back and loud breathing in his ear though, so Niall's still asleep as well. He tries to pry the fingers off his chest and fails miserably. Turns out, Niall's hold is quiet strong.

"No, no," Zayn whispers when he figures out what Harry's doing. "You stay in bed with him. Sleep for a bit. You don't have class, do you?"

Harry carefully shakes his head in reply and Zayn smiles at him. "Good. I'll be back in two hours tops, alright?"

Closing his eyes, Harry gives him a soft smile and then he feels Zayn leaning over them, pressing a soft kiss to both of their foreheads and oh- alright. A door closes and Harry drifts off pretty soon after, hand clutching Niall's on his chest.

It's only a while later that he wakes up again, this time by the sunlight streaming through the curtains. Niall’s still asleep next to him, having turned on his back somewhere during the past hour and Harry spends the next five minutes staring at him while drawing patterns on his chest.

Honestly, it should be weird. He's lying in bed with somebody else's boyfriend after spending the night with the both of them, but he also knows that they’ve been leading up to this for the past weeks. They all had an out at some point, he guesses.

Slowly untangling his limbs from Niall's, he gets out of bed. His clothes are all in a messy pile next to the bed, wrinkled and smelly, so instead he just grabs one of the shirts hanging of the dresser and makes his way to the kitchen. Time for breakfast.

He's about to start frying the turkey bacon that he’d found in the fridge, when the front door opens and Zayn walks in. The first thing that comes to Harry's mind is that he looks good. Bundled up in a coat and boots covering half of his calves, backpack hanging off one shoulder. It really shouldn't be allowed to look that good that early in the morning.

"Hi," Zayn grins at him when he tugs of his boots. "Is that my shirt?"

Harry blushes and tugs a bit self-conscious at the bottom. Maybe he shouldn't have? "Yeah, I am. I think. Could be Niall’s."

"No, that one is definitely mine," Zayn says and he walks over to Harry, wrapping him up in a hug. He smells like cigarette smoke and fresh coffee and Harry inhales deeply.

"You want breakfast?" He mumbles into the other boy's neck and his hands slide under Zayn's shirt.

"Love some. Gonna take a shower first though," Zayn replies and then he untangles himself. He pushes Harry back to the stove -bacon almost black and maybe he should pay more attention when food is involved- and walks back into the bedroom. Harry sets back to add some more bacon to his pan, looking through the cupboards for some toast or cereal or anything.

"D'yah need help?"

Niall's voice is laced with sleep, eyes still part-way closed and it's more endearing than it should be. He's wearing Harry's wrinkled shirt with just his boxers and Harry barely manages to suppress a grin. It's not just him then.

"No, 'm fine," he replies. "Sit yourself down and tell me where the toast is."

"Second cupboard to the left, most of the time."

Niall plops down in a chair, letting his head fall onto his arms with a soft groan. Harry doesn't disturb him any further, just grabs some bread from the right cupboard before popping it in the toaster. Might as well a full fry-up then.

"Scrambled or fried?"

"Huh?" Niall's got his eyes closed and Harry suspects him of being on the brink of sleep again.

"Your eggs. Do you want them scrambled or fried?"

"Scrambled?" Harry gives him a fond look.

"What about Zayn?"

"Uhm. Scrambled, I think."

"You think?" Harry turns the bacon over, a perfect brown colour this time. Success.

"Dunno. We don't really eat breakfast normally," Niall mumbles and he props his chin on his arms.

"Oh. Should I not...?"

Niall's quick to shake his head though. "No! No, please. Go ahead. Please."

Harry smiles and turns back to the stove, cracking some eggs and whisking them together. Niall keeps quiet but Harry can feel his presence and it's nice. Comforting.

He's about to serve everything up when Zayn walks back in, hair wet and freshly showered.

"Morning, babe."

Harry can hear Niall mumble something in reply and Harry snorts.

"Uhm," he clears his throat once. "Breakfast?"

Zayn just hums and sits himself down on the chair at the kitchen table, smiling at Harry when he puts both their plates down in front of them. Harry slides into the last remaining chair, dipping his toast in his baked beans once he’s settled down.

“So,” Zayn speaks up after a minute. “Does anyone feel the need to talk about last night? Or are we all alright?”

Niall just hums happily into his toast, his eyes crinkling at the both of them and Harry guesses that’s enough of an answer from him. Zayn sticks his tongue out in reply and Niall scoffs but he doesn’t say anything else, so Harry figures it’s his turn.

“I’m just hoping I didn’t overstep any... boundaries or whatever?”

Niall snorts. “We invited you, didn’t we?”

Harry can’t help but nod at that. They did, but he doesn’t know if they’ve discussed this before or if it was a spur of the moment thing or if it was a onetime offer and they’re now back to being just friends, not that they are more now but they must be a bit more than just friends- right?

“Shouldn’t we have?” Zayn sounds concerned and Harry snaps his eyes up to meet brown ones.

“What? No! I mean, yes?” Harry sighs. “What I meant is, yes, you did and it was fine. Good. Great.”

Fine, he’s proper embarrassing himself now. Niall doesn’t seem to mind too much though, a big grin on his face and his breakfast gone.

“Great, hu?” he asks with a smirk and Harry groans in reply, closing his eyes and dropping his head on the table.

“It’s fine, babe,” Zayn reassures him. “We wouldn’t have invited you if we didn’t want you there.”

Harry peaks out of one eye. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Niall nods and he pets Harry’s curls once. “Nice little furnace you are.”

“So it’s alright if I can’t stop thinking about your arse or his eyes, then?” he nods at Zayn and Niall lets out a loud laugh.

“Nah. ‘S long as you don’t mind me talking about your hands when I’m fucking him, then we’re okay.”

“Niall!” Zayn chastens, cheeks pink, and Harry grins at the brand-new information. Interesting.

“Completely fine,” Harry replies with a straight face and then bursts out laughing when Niall winks at him, his hand tangled in Zayn’s hair then.

“So, you’re alright with us taking you out on a date tomorrow?”

Harry looks at the two of them sitting in front of them, Niall still in Harry’s t-shirt and Zayn completely dressed but looking relaxed with a crinkle by his eyes, and he thinks _yeah, this is what I could get used to every morning._

“Pick me up at one?”

*

Zayn is asleep in the back seat of the car when Niall picks him up the next morning, his beanie tucked low over his ears and his mouth open, snoring slightly. Harry grins when Niall slams the car door extra loud and Zayn doesn’t even wake up.

“I’m sorry,” Niall grumbles when it’s obvious that the other boy isn’t going to wake up any time soon. “He’s had a bit of a long night working on some essay and I told him that we could leave a bit later but he insisted that we picked you up at one, so...”

“It’s alright,” Harry reassures him. “It’s cute.”

Niall grins at him, the big wide one he always seems to save for Zayn and is now suddenly aimed at him, and Harry tries to hide his blush by looking out the window.

He hasn’t got a clue where they’re going, he tried getting it out of Zayn when they texted last night but the older boy wouldn’t give in, so now he’s dressed in a billion layers because he wasn’t sure if they were doing something outdoorsy or staying inside but the suspense is nice for once.

It isn’t until they pull up at Dinosaur Safari that Harry stops singing along to Niall’s iPod and starts grinning again.

“We’re going mini golfing?”

“Yep,” Niall says with a wink and then he’s leaning out of his seat, his hand nudging Zayn’s thigh.

“C’mon babe, we’re here.”

Zayn grumbles a bit and tries to bat Niall’s hand a way and Harry has a pretty difficult time trying to keep the grin on his face from getting even bigger.

“’S stupid,” Zayn mumbles when he’s finally woken up and Niall laughs.

“Get up and quit complaining. Harry here likes golf.”

Harry doesn’t even get the time to reply before Zayn sighs.

“Fine, fine, I’m up.”

They make their way inside and Niall pays for everything, batting Harry’s hand away when he tries to hand the other boy his entree fee and it’s stupid, but for some reason the butterflies in his stomach just won’t settle after that.

Harry definitely does not gasp when they walk out on the grounds, but there are dinosaurs everywhere and there’s even a small waterfall between the courses, so who is he to blame, really? He already knows that it’s going to take a lot to screw this date up.

Niall immediately drags him to the first hole, Zayn obedient following him and, as it turns out after five holes, Harry is not the only one who’s fiercely competitive.

“C’mon babe, you gotta give it your all! Hit it a bit harder!”

Zayn glares at Niall as he’s raising his club. “Shut up, Horan.”

Niall doesn’t seem to be too bothered, just shrugs his shoulders and presses his lips tightly together when Zayn ball rolls right over the little hole again in order to keep quiet. Harry has been noticing there’s something a little off about Zayn -he’s snappish, and he just seems happy to follow the other two, never deciding anything himself- and it just all doesn’t feel like Zayn is one hundred percent enjoying himself.

As it turns out, he was right.

“How hard can it be to get the ball between his feet?” Niall asks incredulous. “It’s a T-Rex, it only has two legs!”

Harry can see Zayn’s shoulders tightening before he raises his club again and alright, it doesn’t come even close to the hole but at least it’s closer?

“I hate this,” Zayn sighs when he comes to sit next to Harry, the both of them watching Niall on the tiny course. Harry’s blood freezes.

“I’m- I’m sorry?” He replies carefully. “We can go home if you want?”

“What? No!” Zayn stares at him before he sighs again. “Golfing. I hate golf. I just- I stayed up late looking at all these tips on Youtube and they’re absolutely rubbish. I was supposed to be good at this now.”

Harry grins slowly. “Were you trying to impress me?”

He watches as Niall’s ball disappears in the hole after only three strokes and he claps softly.

“No,” Zayn snorts. He’s quiet for a while before he mumbles, “Maybe.”

Their conversation gets cut short when Niall announces it’s Harry’s turn at the next hole and Harry stares at the tiny pool of water in the middle of the course.

“How do you even... The ball is supposed to roll, right?” He asks in confusion and Niall laughs next to him.

“You just kind of, whip it over the water.”

Harry hears Zayn mumble an ‘easy for you to say, Tiger Woods’ and Harry has to bite back his laughter.

“Want me to do it first?” Niall asks and Harry nods, moving over to stand next to Zayn.

“You’re good, right?” Zayn whispers when Harry leans against his side and Harry smiles in reply.

“Yeah, I’m having fun.”

“Good, that’s what counts.” There are those damn butterflies again and Harry is too busy staring at Zayn’s lips that he barely hears the loud ‘thud’ that comes from the course. Zayn eyes flick over to the sound immediately and when Harry looks over, Niall is laying flat on his back on the course, laughing loudly.

“Fuck, babe, you okay?” Zayn hurries over and Harry watches how he tugs Niall back on his feet again.

“Yeah, great,” Niall laughs as he cranes his head to look at his, now soaked, backside.

Zayn seems relieved and Harry takes the club out of Niall’s hand with a wink. “Leave it to the experts, Horan.”

The rest of the afternoon they make their way round the rest of the course, Zayn and Harry staring impressed at Niall when he manages to finish most holes in less than four strokes and Niall mostly laughing at their pathetic attempts.

It isn’t until they’re back in the car, Zayn driving and Niall almost half asleep in the back seat from exhaustion, that Harry voices the question that’d been on his mind for almost the whole afternoon.

“Why go mini golfing if you don’t like it?”

Niall laughs loudly. “Because he got the shortest straw, didn’t you, babe?”

Zayn mumbles in return, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

“Shortest straw?” Harry asks.

“We couldn’t agree on a date,” Zayn sighs, but Harry can hear the fondness in his voice. “So Niall came up with the brilliant idea to draw straws and who ever got the longest one could pick the date. I lost, Niall won, and therefore we went mini golfing.”

“Oh. But you hated it. You should’ve told me, we could’ve done something different. I’m sure Niall wouldn’t have minded.”

Zayn’s hand is quick to grab his, his eyes focussed on the road in front of him.

“I did not hate it,” Zayn reassures him, giving his hand a squeezes. Niall hums. “I hated the golfing, yes, but the company made more than up for it.”

Harry’s stomach flutters. “Yeah?”

“Definitely.”

They head up the M1 again and Harry lets his head rest against the window, the music from Zayn’s iPod filling the car. It isn’t until they pull up to Harry’s flat that Niall speaks up again.

“So what’s the verdict?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you wanna do this with us or did we properly scare you off now?”

“Nah,” Harry grins. “I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

Harry gets out of the car, but not before Zayn kisses him on the cheek and Niall just smashes their lips together.

“Careful, Horan,” Harry mock-warns Niall and Niall winks back at him in reply.

“So, we’re keeping the bed warm for you tonight. Come over if you want, yeah?”

Zayn’s voice is soft and Harry can hear the underlying insecurity in there.

“Be over in an hour then,” he replies with a beam and then he closes the car door behind him, almost running up the stairs to his flat. He ignores Louis and Eleanor who’re in the kitchen bickering over the right amount of salt to use on their potatoes, and immediately lets himself fall face-forward on his bed when he enters the bedroom.

He definitely does not squeal into his pillow like a teenage girl.

*

“I still think we should’ve re-done it and have Harry in it as well this time.”

“Niall, fuck off.”

“What? I’m just saying that it’d have looked good! I could’ve been the cream between your tattooed Oreo, you know what I mean? Really give the whole thing some contrast, maybe use a bit of light-”

“-can you please shut up for once,” Zayn snaps and Niall stares at him in shock. Harry whimpers from where he’s sitting on the small wooden bench with his head tucked between his knees. Zayn’s hand stops rubbing his shoulders to glare a bit more at Niall and even though he can’t see it, he can feel the tension between them. They’d been going at it ever since the three of them entered the backstage area of the exhibition, Zayn even more tense and nervous than Harry probably is and that’s saying something since he feels like this morning’s breakfast is gonna end up in one of those potted plants in a few minutes. He knows that Niall’s trying to keep the mood light and that Zayn is just bloody nervous, but he doesn’t need the two of them fighting.

Not on their twenty-sixth date.

(Not that he’s been counting...)

“Be nice,” Harry mumbles from between his legs. “I’m okay.”

Zayn snorts. “You’re not and he’s not making it any better.”

“Excuse me?” Niall exclaims, “I’m not even doing anything!”

Harry tries to keep breathing in through his nose, exhale through his mouth and slowly count his breaths, but Zayn’s hand is not rubbing his shoulders anymore and Niall is too far away. Harry slowly lifts his head up, not feeling like he’s gonna throw up on his (way too expensive, what was he even thinking?) shoes anymore.

“Can you both just please sit down and hug me?”

Niall immediately complies, sitting down next to Harry and wrapping his arm around him, Zayn doing the same on the other side. It’s quiet for a few seconds until Niall mumbles a soft ‘sorry’, Zayn does the same, and Harry forgives the both of them with ease.

“Alright, let’s go,” Harry whispers after a few seconds and with a last squeeze, the both of them let go of him.

He’s not even sure why he’s so bloody nervous; he’s been working on this for months, he knows that all the photos look great and that Zayn and Niall are both so proud of him and that he’s done exactly what his professor asked of him. But what if they don’t like it? What if it’s too simple, too standard? What if it’s too much? Maybe he should’ve asked Jade to just turn into Perrie a bit more so her boob wouldn’t be too visible on the photo? What if everybody just thinks it’s too much like pornography?

Zayn interrupts his train of thought by kissing him square on the mouth and it’s embarrassing how that relaxes him immediately, how he can feel his jitters disappearing.

“They’ll love you,” Zayn whispers in his ear before letting go of him and then there’s Niall, forehead pressed against his.

“And if they don’t, we do, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Niall!” Zayn chastens and Niall grins sheepishly, Harry letting out a quiet laugh.

“Oops, sorry. They’ll love it, don’t worry.”

Harry nods once and then squares his shoulders, joining all the other students getting ready for their big night.

Of course it goes off without a bloody hitch and Niall has to refrain himself from telling him ‘I told you so’ at least ten times. His professor loves his execution of his plan, even compliments Niall and Zayn on their chemistry and Harry does definitely not blush when Niall grabs his hand and gives it a little squeeze when he voices his thanks.

All his friends show up and even his mum, Gemma and Robin made the drive over and by the end of the night, Harry’s eyes are teary and red and he probably looks like shit but he’s so damn happy.

He’s packing up some of the leaflets that are still left when Louis comes over to him and wraps him up in a tight hug.

“It was amazing, Haz,” Louis whispers against his neck and Harry squeezes him just a little bit closer.

“Thanks,” he replies and when he lets go, he sees Louis looking at Zayn and Niall, sitting at the tiny bar that had been set up, their heads bent closely together.

“You’re really lucky, you know,” Louis says when Niall waves at him with a huge grin on his face. “They really love you.”

Harry smiles. “I know. I love them too.”

“Glad it’s not my junk on that wall though.”

Harry hits him in response and Louis laughs loudly, still cackling as he says his goodbyes to the three of them.

“You all ready to go home?” Niall asks when Harry goes to stand between his legs.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

When he later is squished in between the two of them in bed, his head resting on Niall’s chest and Zayn’s body wrapped tightly around his, he lets out a soft sigh.

Home.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi to me on [tumblr](brokenpartsmightfit.tumblr.com) if you wanna talk more about these three! :)


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